The present invention relates to a viewing management method of a specified content recorded on an information recording medium such as a DVD.
DVD is a high capacity recording medium (media) that is currently becoming mainstream, and is used for recording audio/visual contents data such as computer programs and movies. A DVD-ROM is a playback-only disk, and DVD-Video and DVD-Audio are prescribed as the application formats thereof. A DVD-Video is a video format prescribed for use in recording audio/visual contents.
In addition to being able to record contents data such as actual images and sounds, a DVD-Video is able to record control information for realizing the viewing regulation function or special reproduction function. For example, with parental reproduction, which is one of the viewing regulation functions, a parental level is set according to age in consideration of the nature of the content. Further, DVD-Video is prescribed with a region code showing the areas where such content can be reproduced, and reproduction is permitted only when the region codes of the drive device, video reproduction device (player) and media all coincide.